Testimonials: Donna 2008

As a child I suffered abuse,  neglect and a hostile environment. At the age of 10, I was running away from home and from the abuse and returning back. Than being abused even more. The streets of Omaha were not a safe place to be, but neither was my home life. My mom and real dad were Divorced and my first step-father used me as a punching bag. He disliked me most out of my six brothers and sisters. I didn’t know God as I’d never had the opportunity. But, I knew about God because I would sneak over to my girlfriend house, put on one of her frilly dresses than go to church with her family, only to come back home and get spanked with a belt because I was gone. When I turned 11 years old, my mom loaded up us kids and left this man and the abuse she and her children endured. We moved from Omaha, back to Fremont with my grandparents. By this time from my mothers first and second marriages, she had 11 children (myself being the fifth in line ) This was a lot for my grandparents to deal with so they helped my mom to get me into an apartment only 1 ½  blocks away from them. My mother being an alcoholic of her own accord had lost parental rights of us.  I was 11 years old. I grew up most of my adolescent years, no not most, all of them in orphanages, Foster homes, group homes, girls homes all kinds of homes, except one of my own. My mother re-married again. He was a great dad, but he too  was an alcoholic, yet he loved us kids. At 17 I got to return home with my mom and second step dad, but this was short lived. We lived in Minnesota and legal age was 18 for 3.2 beer,  and my mom wanted me out of the house before my birthday .I still knew of the Lord but really never knew him. I met a man (my son and daughters dad) who came from a Christian home. So I got baptized and confirmed in their church and had my kids christened their. We divorced and I turned to a life of destruction and total chaos. John 4:17. I’ve married and divorced since then. I turned to drugs and alcohol. I destroyed my relationships with my children and with society. Because of drugs and my choices of disobeying the law I was arrested. Jeremiah 29:11   which I now call my rescue. I finally had my eyes opened .He touched my heart. People prayed for me and I finally moved forward.   I put all my life in his hands and today I put Jesus first. I have a real relationship with God. I have a wonderful life now and a good life.   I strife to be a better person.      I have a relationship with family, my children and grand children. And a fellowship with other believers, a church family and through the Rescue Mission, I am learning more about my relationship with Jesus Christ. I have longed for this peace in my life, and although I don’t understand everything about my past, I do know and believe about my future.

                                     HIS LOVE HE GAVE ME

                                 Through his Grace and his Glory,

                                  Is the height of every mountain,

                                  To the depth of every sea,

                                  He gave his life and he died for me.

                                  He structured my life,

                                   And he molded me.

                                  And so much more is yet to be.

                                   He took me from destruction,

                                And a life of despair

                                He reassured me, he’d always be their.

                                He opened my eyes, and he touched my heart.

                                He gave me the chance to make a new start.

                                He put people in my life to tell me things I’d never heard

                                 Those whom he trusted to teach me his word

                               Your life, your love, your faith to save me

                                Lord, I love you for what you gave me

                                I will follow you lord for the rest of my days

                                For you alone gave me the strength to change my ways.

                                You lord gave me reason and hope to carry on

                                 Because of you, all is not gone

                                 My future was once dark as the night

                                 But because of your love, it’s been made, wholesome and bright

That day on the cross when you said, “It is finished” The sin of the world began to diminish.